As a practicing visual arts educator, I became increasingly interested in a central question: What direct and indirect value do teachers find in professional development, and does it translate into classroom practice?

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This question grounded my doctoral research at Concordia University, where I investigated the art museum summer institute model of professional development. My research examined how museum educators' pedagogical approaches differ from those of classroom teachers, the role of Visual Thinking Strategies in developing visual literacy, the conditions that make an encounter with a work of art authentic and meaningful, and whether those conditions can be replicated through digital and virtual platforms. These questions are particularly relevant as cultural institutions expand their educational programming in both in-person and online contexts.

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I continue to develop these research interests through my work with the Canadian Society for Education Through Art (CSEA/SOCIÉTÉ), where I have designed and organized online professional development, webinars, and a virtual national juried art exhibition.

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VISIE grew directly from this body of work, a bridge between research, cultural institutions, and the lived realities of classroom teachers.

 

Read the full dissertation: Exploring How Teachers Apply Art Museum Professional Development to Their Practices — Concordia University Spectrum Repository